\y 


Home  Economics  Circular  No.  6.  May  IS,  1918. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  INTERIOR.  ,  _  .  .  TpoK^^*^'" 

BUREAU  OF  EDUCATIQhL.ycRSnV   O^  icf/^a 
WASHINGTON.  I^^^^Xt VoS  h^^l^f 


JUN 


1928 


1    \  B  R  ''""'  ^ ' 

A  COURSE    IN   FOOD  ECONOMi:feS   FOR   THE 
HOUSEKEEPER. 


Home  economics  teachers  are  frequently  called  upon  to  give 
lectures  to  groups  of  women  who  desire  to  do  their  part  in  the  cam- 
paign for  food  economy.  The  following  outlines  have  been  made  m 
answer  to  requests  that  have  come  to  the  Bureau  of  Education  for 
suggestions  in  regard  to  the  subjects  which  should  receive  emphasis 
in  such  a  course.  References  given  include  only  recent  publications 
dealing  with  food  study.  A  sufficiently  wide  range  of  subject  matter 
has  been  included  in  the  references  to  provide  material  for  teachers 
working  imder  widely  differing  conditions. 

LESSON  I.  THE  NEEDS  OF  THE  BODY. 

An  adequate  diet — proteins,  carbohydrates,  fats,  mineral  con- 
stituents, vitamines,  and  water. 

Minimum  requirements  for  health. 

Adaptation  necessary  with  varying  conditions  of  age,  occupation, 
and  health.     Danger  of  overeating;   danger  of  undereating. 

References. 

Langworthy .    Food  selection  for  rational  and  economical  living.     (Revised  )    Journal 

of  Home  Economics.     15  cents. 
Lusk,  Graham.     The  fundamental  basis  of  nutrition.     Yale  University  Press.     50 

cents. 
Mendel,  La  Fayette  B.    Changes  in  the  food  supply  and  their  relatioil  to  nutrition. 

Yale  University  Press.     50  cents. 
Rose,  Mary  S.     Everyday  foods  in  war  time.     New  York,  Macmillan.    80  cents. 

Feeding  the  family.     New  York,  Macmillan.    $2.10. 

Stiles,  Percy.    An  adequate  diet.    Harvard  Health  Talks.     50  cents. 

Nutritional  physiology.    Philadelphia,  W.  B.  Saunders  Co.    $1.25. 

United  States.    Department  of  Agriculture.     Farmers'  Bulletin  142.     Principles  of 

nutrition  and  nutritive  value  of  food. 

Farmers' Bulletin  808.    How  to  select  foods.     I.  What  the  body  needs. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  817.    How  to  select  foods.     II.  Cereal  foods. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  824.    How    to   select   foods.    III.  Food  rich    in 

protein. 
United  States  Food  Leaflet,  No.  4.    Choose  your  food  wisely. 
63647°— 18 


2  FOOD  ECONOMIES   FOR  THE  HOUSEKEEPER. 

LESSON  II.   THE  FOOD  PROBLEM  IN  WAR  TIME. 

Situation  before  the  war. 

Changes  brought  about  during  the  war  as  affecting  production, 
transportation,  storage,  cost,  consumption,  and  conservation. 
Need  of  food  control — purpose  and  methods  of  control. 
Food  control  in  other  countries. 

References. 

American  Academy  of  Political  and  Social  Science.  The  world's  food.  Annals, 
Vol.  74,  No.  163,  November,  1917. 

Fraser,  Helen.     Women  and  war  work.     New  York,  G.  Arnold  Shaw.     $1.50. 

Kellogg,  ifra.  Charlotte.     The  women  of  Belgium.     New  York,  Funk  &  Wagnalls.     $1. 

Kellogg  and  Taylor.     The  food  problem.     New  York,  Macmillan.     $1.25. 

Van  Hise,  Charles  R.  Conservation  and  regulation  in  the  United  States.  Part  I. 
Published  by  the  United  States  Food  Administration.  Part  II.  Published  by 
the  University  of  Wisconsin,  Madison,  Wis. 

Wood,  T.  B.  anc?  Hopkins,  F.  G.,  Food  economy  in  war  time.     New  York,  G.  P.  Put- 
nam's Sons.     15  cents. 
Reports  of  the  Food  Administration  to  be  obtained  from  the  office  of  the  State  Food 

Administrator  or  from  the  P'ood  Administration  in  Washington. 

Reports  contained  in  weekly  and  monthly  magazines  and  in  conservative  news- 
papers. 
Reports  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  contained  in  the  weekly 

news-letter,  and  in  circular  letters  issued  by  the  department,  or  circulated  through  the 

daily  papers  and  farm  magazines. 

Food  needs  for  1918.  Circular  No.  75.  Office  of  the  Secretary,  U.  S.  Department  ol 
Agriculture. 

The  agricultural  situation  for  1918.  Dairjdng.  Circular  No.  85.  Office  of  the  Secre- 
tary, U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 

Agricultural  production  for  1918.  Spring  Planting  and  Live  Stock  Circulars  No.  103. 
Office  of  the  Secretary,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 

LESSON  III.   USE  OF  GARDEN  PRODUCTS. 

Reducing  the  transportation  and  cost  of  foods  by  home  production. 

Fruits  and  vegetables  that  can  be  raised  in  the  home  garden. 

Cultivation  of  salad  plants  to  increase  mineral  content  of  the  diet. 

Raising  of  peas,  beans,  peanuts,  and  other  legumes  as  a  substitute 
for  meat. 

Abundant  use  of  fresh  winter  vegetables  that  are  easily  kept — 
cabbage,  turnips,  onions,  carrots,  potatoes,  etc. 

Use  of  canned  vegetables  throughout  the  winter. 

References. 

United  States.     Department  of  Agriculture.     Fanners 'Bulletin  839.    Home  canning 

by  the  one-period  cold-pack  method. 
Farmers'  Bulletin  841.     Home  and  community  drying  erf  fruits  and 

vegetables. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  853.    Home  canning  of  fruits  and  v^etables. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  856.    Control  of  diseases  and  insect  enemies  of  the 


home  v^etable  garden. 


^c.'ScD^^^q 


FOOD  ECONOMIES   FOR  THE   HOUSEKEEPER.  3 

United  States.     Department  of  Agriculture.     Farmers'  Bulletin  871.     Fresh  truits 

and  vegetables  as  conservers  of  other  staple  foods. 

Fanners'  Bulletin  879.     Home  storage  of  vegetables. 

Farmers' Bulletin  881.     Salting,  fermentation,  and  picldiog«of  v^e- 

tables. 
Farmers'  Bulletin  884.     Saving  vegetable  seeds  for  the  home  and 

market  garden. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  903.     Commercial  evaporation  and  drying  of  fruits. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  907.     Bean  growing  in  eastern  Washington  and 

Oregon  and  northern  Idaho. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  916.     A  successful  community  drying  plant. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  934.     Home  gardening  in  the  South. 

— - —  Farmers'  Bulletin  936.     The  city  and  suburban  vegetable  garden. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  937.     The  farm  garden  in  the  North. 

Interior  Department.     Bureau  of  Education.     Bulletin  No.  47,  1917.     The 

preparation  and  preservation  of  vegetables. 

National  War  Garden  Commission.'    Home  canning  and  drying  of  vegetables 

and  fruits. 

War  vegetable  gardening  and  the  home  storage  of  vegetables. 


See  also  publications  of  State  agricultural  colleges. 

LESSON  IV.  COMPARATIVE  FOOD  VALUE  OF  READILY 
AVAILABLE  FOODS  WITH  RELATION  TO  THEIR  COST. 

Cost  of  food  per  market  unit,  per  calorie,  per  protein  content,  per 
portion  for  serving. 

Classification  of  foods  according  to  their  cost  per  100  calorie  por- 
tion and  per  one-half  ounce  protein  portion. 

References. 

Cooper,  Lenna  Frances.  How  to  cut  food  costs.  Battle  Creek,  Mich.,  The  Good 
Health  Publishing  Co.     75  cents. 

Fisk.  Food.  New  York,  Life  Extension  Institute,  25  West  F'orty-iifth  Street.  10 
cents. 

Food  supply  in  families  of  limited  means.  Boston,  League  for  Preventive  Work,  44 
Bromfield  Street.     10  cents  single  copies. 

Gephart-Lusk.  Analysis  and  cost  of  ready  to  serve  foods.  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation.   50  cents. 

Locke,  Edwin  A.     Food  values.     New  York,  D.  Appleton  &  Co.     $1. 

Rubner.  The  nutrition  of  the  people.  Journal  of  Home  Economics,  Vol.  5,  No.  1, 
February,  1913. 

Simmons  Coll^o,  Boston,  Mass.     Food  charts  showing  the  comparative  fuel  value  of 

common  foods  in  relation  to  their  cost. 

Set  of  six  wall  charts,  $1.50;  Housekeepers'  set,  8^x23,  8  cents  apiece  in  quantities  of  one  hundred, 
10  cents  apiece  single. 

See  also  references  included  in  Lesson  I. 

LESSON  V.   THE  ECONOMICAL  USE  OF  FOODS  THROUGH 
THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  SIMPLE  RECIPES. 

Use  standard  recipes  as  a  basis,  know  proportions  for  batters, 
leavening  agents,  shortening,  thickening  for  sauces  and  soups,  etc. 

Make  eliminations  and  substitutions  to  meet  the  present  changed 
food  conditions.  Decrease  the  amount  of  wheat  flour,  sugar,  meat, 
and  fat  as  much  as  possible  in  aU  recipes. 

>  21O-220  Maryland  Building ,  Washington,  D.  G. 


4  FOOD  ECONOMIES  FOE  THE  HOUSEKEEPEB. 

Develop  recipes  that  are  generally  liked  and  can  be  frequently 
used. 

Use  new  combinations  with  discretion,  (A  substitute  may  not 
be  used  in  all  recipes.) 

Adhere  to  simple  flavors — for  example,  use  peanuts  only  in  com- 
bination with  foods  of  very  mild  flavor  so  that  the  result  will  not  be 
a  confusion  of  flavors. 

Do  not  combine  several  foods  of  varying  flavor,  however  mild. 
Oatmeal,  barley,  rice,  beans,  etc.,  are  not  improved  either  in  texture 
or  flavor  by  being  combined  one  with  the  other. 

Have  definite  standards  for  appearance,  texture,  and  flavor  of 
dishes  prepared. 

Avoid  recipes  that  require  a  great  deal  of  work  in  preparation  or 
that  are  easily  perishable  after  preparation. 

Avoid  recipes  that  require  a  great  deal  of  fuel  in  preparation. 
Adjust  dampers  and  drafts  carefully  in  order  to  conserve  fuel.  Re- 
cipes that  require  long  cooking  can  often  be  prepared  with  the  use 
of  the  fireless  cooker  or  other  fuel-saving  device. 

Take  care  to  use  some  recipes  that  require  thorough  mastication 
so  that  starchy  foods  will  be  sufficiently  well  broken  up  to  be  thor- 
oughly combined  with  the  saliva.  Such  dishes  are  especially  desir- 
able when  the  percentage  of  meat  has  been  reduced  in  the  diet. 

References. 

256.  Preparation  of  vegetables  for  the  table. 

391.  Economical  use  of  meat  in  the  home. 

487.  Cheese:  Economical  use  in  the  diet. 

526.  Mutton  and  its  value  in  the  diet. 

559.  Use  of  com,  kafir,  and  cowpeas  in  the  home. 

565.  Com  meal  as  a  food:  Ways  of  using  it. 

653.  Honey  and  its  use  in  the  home. 

807.  Bread  and  bread  making. 

900.  Homemade  fmit  butters. 

955.  Use  of  wheat  flour  substitutes  in  bread  making. 

liESSON  VI.   THE  ECONOMICAL  USE  OF  FOOD  THROUGH 
SMALL  ECONOMIES. 

Purchase. — Buy  carefully.  Eliminate  out-of-season  foods.  Have 
the  butcher  send  home  the  trimmings  from  all  meats  purchased; 
secure  accurate  weight,  full  measures;  buy  bulk  goods. 

Handling. — Take  care  not  to  soil,  break,  spill,  or  bruise  food  mate- 
rials or  packages. 

Storage. — Store  food  in  such  ways  as  to  prevent  deterioration  in 
all  forms. 

Keep  flour,  cereals,  and  meals  in  clean  covered  utensils  in  a  cool 
place. 


FOOD  ECONOMIES  FOR   THE   HOUSEKEEPER.  6 

Cooked  foods  that  are  to  be  saved  should  be  covered,  cooled 
quickly,  and  kept  in  a  cold,  dry  place  away  from  the  dust,  and 
should  be  used  as  soon  as  possible. 

Keep  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  in  a  cool,  dry  place. 

Store  butter  and  eggs  when  abundant  and  cheap  for  use  when 
scarce. 

Can  and  dry  fruits  and  vegetables  when  in  season  for  future  use. 

Preparation. — Care  should  be  taken  not  to  injure  or  discard  good 
materials  when  paring,  when  emptying  bowls  or  crocks,  or  when 
draining.  Thin  paring  should  be  made  from  vegetables,  and  all 
parts  that  contribute  nourishment  or  appetizing  flavor  should  be 
used  in  cooking. 

Cooking. — Do  not  lose  good  materials  through  scorching,  burning, 
undercooking,  or  bad  combinations. 

Eliminate  the  more  expensive  ingredients  from  a  recipe. 

Reduce  the  number  of  eggs,  quantity  of  fat,  amount  of  milk,  etc. 
Edible  garnishes,  such  as  bacon  and  toast,  should  be  dispensed  with 
unless  they  are  sure  to  be  eaten. 

Substitute  cheaper  or  more  abundant  foods  for  those  which  are 
expensive  and  difficult  to  secure.  For  example:  Cottage  cheese, 
baked  beans,  peas,  fish,  or  other  protein  foods  in  place  of  meat. 
Skimmed  milk,  sour  milk,  or  buttermilk,  for  whole  sweet  milk  or 
cream.  Potatoes  or  rice  in  place  of  bread  in  a  menu.  Corn  oil, 
cottonseed,  or  peanut  oil,  and  oleomargarine  or  other  fat  for  butter. 
Brown  sugar,  molasses,  and  com  sirup  for  refined  white  sugar.  Corn 
meal,  buckwheat  flour,  soy  bean  meal,  barley,  potato  flour,  and  rice 
flour  for  white  flour  and  other  wheat  products. 

Combinations. — ^Use  a  small  amount  of  meat  with  vegetables  or 
cereals  to  provide  a  meat  dish. 

Reduction. — In  the  amount  of  expensive  or  much-needed  foods  that 
are  not  absolutely  essential  to  a  recipe — the  number  of  eggs  in  a 
batter;  the  quantity  of  sugar  and  fats  in  breads;  the  amount  of  sugar 
in  canned  goods,  etc. 

Accuracy  of  measurement  to  secure  definite  results. 

Economical  utilization  of  all  portions  of  the  animal  body,  i.  e., 
chicken  fat,  drippings  from  roast  beef,  bacon  fat,  bones  for  soup,  etc.; 
of  vegetable  stalks,  leaves,  and  roots;  of  fruit  skins,  cores,  etc. 

Serving. — ^Method  of  serving  should  be  sufficiently  attractive  to 
insure  the  acceptability  of  the  dish.  Use  of  the  individual  butter 
pat  to  regulate  the  quantity  of  butter  used.  Use  of  a  bread  board 
on  the  table  for  the  slicing  of  bread  needed. 

Eating. — Economy  through  the  elimination  of  unnecessary  con- 
sumption of  food.  For  example :  Superfluous  courses  at  daily  meals, 
at  special  meals,  for  social  entertainment;  refreshments  at  afternoon 
tea;  light  refreshments  at  social  entertainments;  and  eating  between 
meals. 


6  FOOD  ECONOMIES  FOR  THE   HOUSEKEEPEB. 

Removal  from  table. — Care  not  to  waste  the  teaspoonful  of  butter, 
the  slice  of  bread,  the  half  cup  of  milk,  the  piece  of  meat,  the  scrap 
of  fat. 

Utilization  of  left-overs. — Celery  leaves,  rice  water,  sour  and 
skimmed  milk,  waste  fats,  portions  of  vegetables,  cooked  eggs,  dry 
cheese,  etc. 

LESSON  VII.  ECONOMY  IN  THE  PURCHASE  OF  FOODS. 

Plan  market  order  in  advance ;  know  how  much  of  each  staple  per 
week  is  required.  Have  regular  times  for  marketing.  If  possible, 
save  by  large  orders,  shopping  only  once  or  twice  a  week. 

Make  personal  selections,  expecting  only  a  minimum  of  delivery 
service.  Consider  food  values  in  selection.  Food  value  is  more 
important  than  flavor. 

Buy  carefully,  considering  quality,  quantity,  variety.  Buy  only 
what  can  be  used  and  thus  avoid  left-overs. 

Order  definitely.  (By  definite  unit  of  weight  or  measure,  prefer- 
ably weight.) 

Acquire  a  knowledge  of  season  for  various  foods. 

Consider  home-grown  fruits  and  vegetables  versus  imported  fruits 
and  vegetables.  Consider  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables  in  season  ver- 
sus canned  foods. 

Acquire  a  knowledge  of  cuts  of  meat. 

Consider  ready-to-eat  versus  unprepared  foods. 

Buy  meats  sparingly. 

Spend  at  least  as  much  for  milk  as  for  meat. 

Spend  at  least  as  much  for  vegetables  and  fruits  as  for  meat  and 
fish. 

LESSON  VIII.   ECONOMY  MENUS. 

Planning  of  meals  for  efficiency  and  economy. 

Simple  menus  that  utilize  those  foods  which  are  most  abundant 
and  cheapest,  and  at  the  same  time  provide  necessary  variety  and 
balance. 

Saving  wheat,  meat,  and  expensive  fats. 

Increasing  the  use  of  fish,  potatoes,  beans,  turnips,  cabbage,  and 
vegetables  generally,  and  com,  buckwheat,  rice,  and  milk. 

Simple  service.     Meals  of  few  courses. 

References. 

Lusk,  Graham.     Food  in  war  time.     Philadelphia,  Saunders.     50  cents. 
Nesbit.    Low  cost  cooking.     American  School  of  Home  Economics.    50  cents. 
Stern  and  Spitz.     Food  for  the  worker.     Boston,  Whitcomb  &  Barrows.     $1. 
United  States.    Department  of  Agriculture.     Food  I>eaflet8  1-20. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  712.     School  lunches. 

Farmers '  Bulletin  808.    How  to  select  foods.    I.  What  the  body  needs. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  817.    How  to  select  foods.    II.  Cereal  foods. 

Farmers'  Bulletin  824.    How  to  select  foods.    III.  Foods  rich  in  pro- 
tein. 


lli?iMO.lfil2fl,.'i?2'°N*'-  LIBHARY  FACILITY 


FOOD  ECONOMIES   FOR  THE   HOUS  j\      ^■^'-■'Trg™!'" 

liESSON  IX.   CARE  IN  THE  HANDLING  AND  KEEPING  OF 

FOODS. 

Method  of  delivery;  personal  and  by  order. 

Home  storage  arrangements  for  cereals,  vegetables,  canned  goods, 
dried  fruits,  etc.     Receptacles  and  cupboard  space. 

Care  in  the  handling  of  foods  when  preparing  recipes. 

Reduction  of  garbage  by  care  in  storage,  cooking,  and  serving 
foods.     Method  of  caring  for  garbage. 

References. 

United  States.     Department  of  Agriculture.     Farmers'  Bulletin  375.    Care  of  food 
in  the  home. 

National  Emei^ency  Food  Garden  Commission.'    Home  drying  manual  for 

drying  vegetables  and  fruits. 

National  War  Garden  Commission.'    Home  canning  and  drying  of"  vegetables 


and  fruits. 
—  War  vegetable  gardening  and  the  home  storage  of  vegetables. 


LESSON  X.   THE  HOME  PRESERVATION  OF  FOODS. 

The  storage,  drying,  and  canning  of  all  surplus  food  products. 
Methods  of  drying  fruits  and  vegetables. 
Recipes  in  which  dried  food  products  are  used. 
Methods  of  preserving  eggs,  butter,  etc. 

References. 

Bitting,  A.  W.  and  K.  G.     Canning  and  how  to  use  canned  foods. 

Powell.     Successful  canning  and  preserving.     Philadelphia,  Lippincott  Co.     $2. 

Folin.     Preservatives  and  other  chemicals  in  foods.     Harvard  Health  Talks.     50  cents. 

Vulte  and  Vanderbilt.     Food  industries.     Chemical  Publishing  Co.     $2. 

United   States.     Department  of  Agriculture.     Bulletin   123.     Extension  course  in 

vegetable  foods.     Professional  paper.     Superintendent  of  Documents,  Govern- 

ernment  Printing  Office,  Washington,  D.  C.     10  cents. 
Farmers'  Bulletin  839.     Home  canning  by  the  one-period  cold-pack 

method. 
Farmers'  Bulletin  853.    Home  canning  of  fruits  and  vegetables  as 

taught  to  canning  club  members  in  the  Southern  States. 
Farmers'  Bulletin  881.     Salting,  fermentation,  and  packing  of  vege- 


tables. 
Farmers'  Bulletin  900.    Homemade  fniit  butters. 


LESSON     XI.     INFANT     FEEDING.     A     QUESTION     OF 
NATIONAL  IMPORTANCE. 

Infant's  need  for  food. 

Quantity  of  food  needed  and  intervals  at  which  food  should  be 
given. 

Breast  feeding  and  artificial  feeding. 

Care  in  the  preparation  of  food  for  infants. 

Dangers  resulting  from  lack  of  proper  nourishment  for  infants. 

» 210-220  Maryland  Building,  Washington,  D.  C.    (2  cents  postage.) 


8  FOOD  ECONOMIES  FOE  THE  HOUSEKEEPER. 

Refereruxa. 

Grulee,  C.  G.     Infant  feeding.     Philadelphia,  Saunders.    $3.25. 

Holt,  L.  E.    The  care  and  feeding  of  young  children.     New  York,  D.  Appleton  & 

Co.    75  cents. 
United  States.     Department  of  Agriculture.    Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  717.     Food  for 

young  children. 
Department  of  Labor.    Children's  Bureau.     Publication  No.  4.    Prenatal 

care. 

Publication  No.  8.    Infant  care. 

Publication  No.  30.    Child  care. 

Publication  No.  35.    Milk — indispensable  food  for  children. 


Public  Health  Service.     The  care  of  the  baby;  the  summer  care  of  infanta. 

LESSON  XII.  RESULTS  OF  INCORRECT  DIET. 

Malnutrition  or  undernutrition. 

Loss  in  weight. 

Diminished  resistance  to  cold. 

Diminished  industrial  production. 

Impairment  of  digestive  powers. 

Increased  susceptibility  to  tuberculosis. 

Pellagra  and  similar  diseases. 

Retardation  of  children. 

Mental  depression. 

Conditions  in  belligerent  countries. 

References. 

[Current  comment.]  Is  pellagra  transmissible?  Journal  of  the  American  Medical 
Association,  68:  39,  January  6,  1917. 

[Editorial.]  The  cost  of  adequate  nutrition.  Journal  of  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation, February  2,  1918,  p.  312. 

[Editorial.]  The  food  of  the  poorer  classes  in  war  time.  Journal  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  January  26,  1918,  p.  234. 

[Editorial.]  The  food  requirement  of  healthy  children.  Journal  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  68:  1698,  June  9,  1917. 

[Editorial.]  The  etiology  of  scurvy.  Journal  of  the  American  Medical  Association, 
69:  728,  September  1,  1917. 

[Editorial.]  Unwise  economies  in  diet.  Journal  of  the  American  Medical  Associa- 
tion, 69:  1435  (1917). 

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